4 Years Later:

I waited anxiously by the sitting area, eyes scanning the passengers leaving the airport. His flight should have arrived over an hour ago, but due to the weather, it had been delayed.

It'd been 4 years since Sehun proposed to me. After his stunt at the meeting room which caused his proposal to be broadcasted throughout all of Korea and go viral (he'd told me later he had planned that on purpose), we'd gone through the details of the engagement with our parents. We decided that we would wait until we'd graduated college until we got married.

We'd ended up getting accepted into separate universities. I'd gone back to England with Taehyung while he went to study in America with Kai. Before I'd left, Sehun had a stern word with Taehyung, warning him that I was now engaged and off limits. The brunette merely laughed, teasing the blonde about his possessiveness. That night in bed, I'd told him Taehyung wasn't interested in me romantically and never had been. He'd stared at me deeply, before finally nodding in acceptance. We spent the night tangled under the sheets for hours as our last night together before I left. 

Now, 4 years later, we'd finally graduated. I'd been back in Korea for a week already, waiting for him to get back too. We called and video-chatted each other often, and visited each other when time allowed, but it still wasn't the same. I'd been months since I'd last seen him in person and I missed him terribly. 

Impatiently, I shifted, feeling restless from waiting. It was December, meaning it was the middle of Winter. It was snowing outside too, but the heaters were on inside the airport. I briefly glanced through the glass walls of the building. The sky was starting to get dark, yet he still hadn't arrived. The snow had probably interfered with the landing, but I was still anxious. Suddenly, the intercom sounded, announcing the arrival of the flight from New York to Seoul - Sehun's flight. Straightening in excitement, I watched eagerly as people streamed through the gate carrying suitcases in trolleys, scanning through the crowd for a familiar blonde. When he failed to appear after 15 minutes, I frowned. 

"Looking for me?" A familiar, amused voice appeared behind me. Whirling around, my eyes widened as I took in the sight of my boyfriend, heart thudding in my chest. He was dressed in a black turtle-neck sweater with a warm grey coat over the top. He still looked the same - still very much attractive - but there had been a significant change. 

His hair was no longer blonde. Instead, it had been dyed back to its natural shade of black. 

I stared, dumbfounded. The sudden change in hair colour seemed to alter his entire appearance. He looked...older. More mature. His blonde hair always gave him a boyish charm, but now he looked like a fully-fledged adult. Sehun seemed amused by my expression and leaned in closer. 

"What, not even a hello? I know I'm attractive, Areum, but don't let it distract you too much," he grinned teasingly, snapping me out of my daze. I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms. 

"I haven't seen you in 6 months, Sehun, and that's the first thing you say?" I scoffed. "And since when did you dye your hair black?"

He ran a hand through his bangs. "Do you like it?"

I paused, pressing my lips together. "It's...different," I mumbled in acknowledgement. He arched an eyebrow. 

"Good different or bad different?" he pressed. I shrugged, putting on an air of nonchalance.

"Just different."

He pouted at my response and my heart fluttered. Even after 4 years, that particular expression still got me weak in the knees. "That's hardly an answer."

"Well it's the only one you'll be getting," I retorted, my lips curling into a smile at his dejected expression. "Now come here."

His expression brightened and without wasting another moment, pulled into his arms, his lips settling on mine in a sweet, longing embrace. I melted against him, savouring the feeling I hadn't felt in so long. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer as I stood on my tippy toes. After a moment that felt far too short, he pulled away, resting his forehead against mine. 

"I missed you," he breathed, eyes softening. My heart fluttered again. 

"I missed you too," I admitted, pecking him on the lips again. "Now let's go home so we can continue this in private. People are watching here and it's annoying."

His smile widened as he pulled away. "Sounds like a plan." He grabbed his suitcase and eagerly intertwined his hand with mine before we walked out of the airport into the cold winter air. A moment of silence passed as we walked towards my car.

"Oh, and by the way," I spoke, looking at him out of the side of my eye. He hummed, glancing at me inquisitively as I grinned. "I think it's a good different... I like your black hair a lot."

He blinked, pausing in the middle of the pathway, looking dumbfounded. "Why are you..." he mumbled, looking utterly defeated as I laughed. Suddenly, he pulled me closer into a playful hug, throwing an arm around my neck as he wrestled with me playfully. "You're impossible. And that's why I love you."

I smiled as he leaned his forehead against mine. "I know. And you're an idiot. That's why I love you."

*****6 Months Later*****

"Tae, what do I do? I'm going to mess up! I'm going to forget my vows and look like an idiot in front of everybody! Or I'm going to trip on my way down the aisle," I freaked out, pacing around the room in terror. It was the day before the wedding - everything was ready and in place for the big day tomorrow. I knew I should have been excited, but frankly, I was terrified. 

"Areum!" My best friend grabbed my shoulders, giving me a small shake. "You're getting married, not being sentenced to death!"

"Some would argue that those two are essentially the same thing," Hyuna muttered. "Now sit down, for god's sake - you're giving me a headache!"

We were currently at a spa, getting a 'well-deserved break from planning', as Hyuna called it. I'd become surprisingly good friends with her since graduating highschool, so I asked her to be one of my bridesmaids. Taeyeon was my maid of honour while Elodie was my second bridesmaid. Kai was obviously Sehun's best man, while Chanyeol and Baekhyun were his other two groomsmen. 

"Areum," Elodie called sweetly. "You'll be fine. You've practised your vows enough-"

"Yeah, even I know them off by heart by now," Hyuna scoffed, causing Taeyeon to pinch her arm and shoot her a glare. 

"-and I really don't think you'll trip," Elodie continued as if she hadn't been interrupted. "It's not like your dress is so big and puffy that you won't be able to walk."

I pressed my lips together and sat down with a sigh. "But still...I can't help be nervous." I sighed, massaging my temples. The past few weeks had been incredibly stressful. Every single detail had to be organised, not to mention the press had been making things even worse by constantly asking for interviews. Sehun had been a bit of help - he was always there to make sure I didn't overwork myself - but it was obvious wedding planning wasn't his thing. 

"Of course you're nervous," Taeyeon patted my cheek. "You're getting married - not to mention, it's going to be one of the biggest weddings of the century and your fiancé is one of the hottest and most sought-after bachelors in Korea."

"You're not helping," I grumbed. 

"But at the end of the day, it's still just you and Sehun proclaiming your love for each other - something which I'm sure you do every day-"

"Yeah I mean, had you seen how cheesy Sehun can get? He's totally whipped-"

"Hyuna," Elodie admonished gently, causing the other girl to roll her eyes. A reluctant smile formed on my face. 

"My point is," Taeyeon rolled her eyes. "You and Sehun love each other - a wedding isn't going to change that. All this is just a formality - an official proclamation that you are his forever and he is yours. Nothing more."

"And I'm sure he'll still love you if you trip while walking down the aisle," Hyuna offered helpfully, causing Taeyeon to slap her arm. 

"Why did we bring you along?" she groaned.

"But what if he decides that he doesn't want to get married to me tomorrow?" I asked, feeling the nerves coming back. "What if he second-guesses his decision?"

"Oh here we go again," Hyuna muttered quietly under her breath. "Back to square one."

"Areum." Elodie stood up, walking towards me. She knelt down in front of me and grabbed my shoulders, looking me in the eye. "Do you really have such little faith in Sehun?"

I winced, looking down guiltily as my stomach twisted. "It's not that... I just..." Tears began to fill my eyes. The week's stress was beginning to take its toll. 

Elodie sighed and pulled me into a hug. "You're an idiot if you think Sehun doesn't love you - and that he wouldn't want to get married to you."

"Yeah," Hyuna piped up again. "Like I said - that guy's totally whipped. He'd go through the gates of Hell and back for you." She paused, before her eyes softened. "As would you for him."

My lower lip trembled as I fiddled with my fingers. "I know... and I feel terrible for doubting him, but-"

"It's natural for you to have a few irrational fears the night before," Taeyeon spoke, sitting down next to me. "But you have to remember, Areum. You two went through a lot together - he risked his life to save you and he still has the scar on his back to prove it. You don't see dedication like that every day."

I bit my lip as she continued. "You've been engaged for 4 years - and in that time, has he ever once doubted his decision to marry you? Has he ever made you doubt his love for you?"

I shook my head silently. 

"You'd be doing him a disservice by doubting him like this," Elodie added gently, wiping away my tears. "He loves you with all his being - there is nothing in this world I'm more certain about."

I inhaled shakily, nodding to myself. "You're right. I'm being stupid-"

"Finally figured that out, huh?" Hyuna rolled her eyes. I gave her a look and she poked her tongue out defiantly, causing me to sm